


a promposal

by queenhomeslice



Series: Random Promptis One-Shots [10]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chill XV, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mutual Pining, Promptis - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28392645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenhomeslice/pseuds/queenhomeslice
Summary: Prompto finally pops the question.(Even though they're not even boyfriends.)
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: Random Promptis One-Shots [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1830934
Comments: 11
Kudos: 44





	a promposal

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Square Enix or any production studios behind the Final Fantasy franchise or Final Fantasy XV; I am not making money from this work and I do not own the rights to FF in any way.
> 
> ____  
> Been workin on this for two days, I don't even know what this is honestly

If you would ask Prompto Argentum how long he’s been deeply in love with Noctis Lucis Caelum, he’s not even sure he could give you an accurate answer. Was it the first time he’d seen him on television, being welcomed back to Lucis after the brutal attempt on his life by the Niffs, after his long recovery in Tenebrae? Was it the first time Noctis had looked him in the eye and offered him a helping hand after he’d tripped on his two left feet? Was it when he finally slimmed up and got the courage to introduce himself properly? 

Probably all three, and every moment in between and after all of that, too. Loving Noctis is as easy and as second-nature as breathing for Prompto, even after all these years. Countless late night video game marathons; cheesy movie dates; hours spent dodging royal duties, playing Justice Monsters in the arcade instead; eating lunch at school, being invited to Noct’s apartment to sample Ignis Scientia’s five-star homemade meals; crashes on his couch after the first day of Crownsguard boot camp, Noctis methodically rubbing balm into his calloused palms after eight hours of holding various firearms. 

It’s a dream, really, being Noct’s friend. Being in the inner circle. Proving himself good enough to be in Noct’s guard--good enough to fight for him, and protect him. It was never a question of Prompto laying down his life for his best friend. What higher purpose exists? Prompto would jump in front of Noctis in a heartbeat. It would be the ultimate act of love, devotion, sacrifice. 

Well. 

Almost. 

Prompto gets these wild fantasies, and they’ve only gotten worse as they’ve aged. Noctis has turned into such a handsome man at 30--if Prompto thought he was hot at 16, at 21, then  _ damn _ \--King Noctis is aging like fine fuckin’ wine. He pushes his hair out of his face now, keeps it a little longer--but it’s still fluffy and black and soft as ever, and Prompto has been itching to run his hands through it for well over a decade. Noct has a beard that Prompto wants to feel in his most intimate of places--what would that scratchy facial hair feel like on the inside of his soft thighs? It makes Prompto run so _ so _ hot under the collar, that for once he’s grateful for the thick, long-sleeved Kingsglaive garb that he wears on the daily. 

It’s the endless cycle of royal galas that get Prompto into a real funk, though--watching noble lords and ladies present themselves to Noctis in a never ending cycle of pomp and circumstance, foppish pursuits only outshadowed by the shallowness of their conversations that Prompto overhears as he stands guard on the outskirts of the ballroom.  _ I’m really losing patience, he can’t stay a bachelor for forever,  _ or  _ I’m the most obvious choice, I’m healthy and fertile and I can give Lucis an heir.  _ It makes Prom’s skin boil, and only his military training allows him to bite his tongue and practice deep breathing exercises instead of assassinating someone out of sheer jealousy. 

_ Blondie, you should just  _ tell  _ him.  _

_ Dear Prompto, you cannot hide your feelings forever. A decade and a half now, is it?  _

Prompto sighs. Gladio and Ignis mean well, but they just don’t understand. The love that’s been simmering in Prompto’s heart fuels everything he does, every breath that he takes. He can’t risk his friendship with Noctis, ever. Even if he were to remain Captain of the Kingsglaive--a title he still can’t believe went to him and not Gladio--Noctis would never look at him the same way again. He’d never be privy to crashing in the royal bedchambers at 2 am after patrols, sliding into bed and letting Noctis starfish on top of him like he’s done since he was a teenager. He’d lose the soft glances, the brief touches of hand, the sheer  _ trust _ that the king has in him...no. Prompto’s a fool in love, but he’s not a fool when it comes to friendship. Noctis is the singular focal point of his existence. He’s the rock that Prompto throws himself against. He’s the North Star, the sun to Prompto’s simple revolving planet. 

_ No.  _

Prompto can’t tell him, ever. Everything that he is, everything that he does, is already for Noctis. Who is he to burden with sappy feelings when Noct’s trying to run a whole damn country? Prompto couldn’t do that to him. 

And so he gazes up, watching his best friend up on that impossibly high throne, far far out of reach. And Prompto knows Noct has always been out of reach, and he might be a dork but he’s not stupid. What’s the point of even trying to fly that high? 

  
  


The fantasy, of course, is to marry Noctis. But Prompto can’t even ask for a single  _ date _ . You can’t get to home plate without passing first base--what is Prompto supposed to do? Waltz into the throne room, kneel, pull out a ring, and say, “I know we’ve never even kissed dude but I want you to marry me?” 

It’s absurd, and it’s a nice dream to fall asleep to when Prompto stares at Noctis in the bed. 

_______

Until. 

Until Prompto overhears the tail-end of  _ another  _ conversation he probably wasn’t supposed to hear. He’s been patrolling the Citadel halls--it’s kind of a lazy weekend, and not much is happening. He’s coming up on Iggy’s corner office on the tenth floor, and he can see the door is cracked and he can hear hushed voices, so he stills his heavy boots and waits for an opening. He never passes up an opportunity to say hi to Ignis, but he doesn’t want to interrupt. 

Except, his heart feels like it’s going to explode when he hears the quiet voice of Noctis within the old, wooden walls. 

“I just wish I had the courage, Specs,” Noctis murmurs sadly. “I mean, we’ve known each other a long time. And it’s like we already do everything together--it’s so  _ easy _ , being with him.”

Prompto wants to choke. He tries not to cry. Whomever Noctis is talking about must be one lucky bastard. 

“It hasn’t been easy, Noct, putting the needs of your people and your country before your own. You’re an admirable king.” Prompto can hear the hurt in Ignis’ voice, despite the compliment.

“I’m--I’m just lonely,” Noctis continues. “I don’t want any more balls where people vy for my attention. People who don’t really know me. I want someone I can wear sweatpants with, cuddle on the couch with and eat too much pizza and play video games until our hands hurt.” A sniff, a long sigh. “And he’s the only one who’s ever really... _ seen _ me. Who wanted to be friends with me, for  _ me _ . Not because I’m royalty. Not because I had money, or because I could give him clout.”

“Dear Noctis,” Ignis says. “I really do think you need to speak with him. I love you dearly, and it pains me to see you suffer in silence like this.”

“But what if he--doesn’t--if he rejected me I couldn’t take it.” 

Prompto blinks through silent tears.  _ Reject _ . As if anyone could reject King Noctis. They’d have to be just plain stupid, Prompto thinks. Hell. Even if he was completely straight, if Noctis had picked him for a husband, he would’ve said yes. Gods. What would it be like to...just to kiss him? Prompto tells himself that just one kiss would be enough to last him a lifetime, but that’s a godsdamned lie. Prompto’s greedy, and he knows that one kiss would haunt him the rest of his days. He wants  _ all _ of Noctis, and he wants to give himself to his king in every possible way. 

“Dear heart,” Ignis continues. “Do you really think that he doesn’t love you with all of his being?”

Noctis sniffs. “I dunno--I never thought--like  _ that _ . He’s never--well he never indicated that he wanted anything more.”

“Perhaps it was because he feared losing you.”

Noctis chuckles. “You sayin’ we’re both cowards, Iggy?”

And Prompto can’t see it, but he can hear Ignis’ smile as he responds, “Oh, far be it from me to tell the King of Lucis he’s afraid.” 

Noctis snorts. “Thanks.”

“What is the Hand of the King for?”

“You really think I should do this?”

“The council will throw fits about an heir; however, there are ways to circumvent that. You’re hardly the first gay ruler, you know.” 

Prompto sucks in a breath and puts his hand on his heart. It’s something that he maybe always suspected, but hearing Iggy say it-- _ gay _ . Noctis is  _ gay _ . It makes Prompto want to melt through the floor and down to Ifrit’s realm itself. He could’ve had a chance this whole time, but no--he was too  _ stupid _ and now Noctis is talking about some  _ other  _ man he’s in love with, and Prompto is going to have to deal with that until the day he dies. 

He can’t take anymore, so he steels himself and wipes his stupid face free of the tears, and continues down the hallway, passing the open office without even glancing in to say hello. He hears the hurried voices of Noctis and Ignis but he keeps his pace, the  _ thunk-thunk-thunk _ of his heavy, nearly thigh-high boots ringing in his ears and echoing his heavy, bleeding heart. 

_ “Prompto!”  _ Noctis scrambles from the chair in Ignis’ office, nearly warping after his best friend. It’s the first time that Prompto doesn’t stop and turn and shoot him an earth-shattering smile that makes Noct’s blood run like fire, those huge, violet-blue eyes looking at him with rapt attention like he’s the only person on the planet. Noct’s greedy for that attention, always has been. So when Prompto doesn’t heed him, Noct knows something is wrong. 

He catches Prompto by the arm and forces his best friend to stop his patrol. Noct doesn’t know why he’s always surprised at the sheer girth of Prompto’s arms, but age has only made him stronger. Noctis fantasizes about Prompto holding him down with those solid biceps and…

“Hey,” Noctis manages, casually, as though he didn’t just have a crisis in Iggy’s office. 

“Gotta finish patrols, your Majesty,” Prompto mutters, still not looking at him. 

“Prom,” Noct pleads. “Hey, what’s wrong? You didn’t even say hi.”

“Sorry,” Prompto mutters, sheepish, ashamed that he hurt his best friend because of his own stupid dumb feelings. He finally turns, but not enough to wrench free of Noct’s grip. Noct’s hands on him is always too much of a good thing. “Hey.”

“C’mon, we’re not in court. You don’t have to do the ‘your majesty’ stuff.” Noctis swallows hard. Damn. Prompto’s so beautiful. Noctis wants to kiss him so badly. 

“Sorry, sorry, habit,” the blond murmurs. He clears his throat. “You, uh. Seemed to be in a conversation, I didn’t wanna interrupt.” 

“Nah, it’s okay. Just talkin’ to Specs. ‘S’not like it was state secrets or anything. Which,  _ Captain _ , you’d be privy to anyways.” Noctis smiles warmly. “You sure you’re okay?”

Prompto could cry. His heart is in tatters on the polished cedar floors outside of Iggy’s office, and Noctis is asking him if he’s  _ okay _ . “Yeah bud, just tired,” he says, pure instinct kicking in on defense. 

Noctis finally lets go and coughs. “Uh. You busy? I was thinkin’ we could...talk. Or something.”

Prompto really doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now, but this is Noctis, and he’s rarely said  _ no  _ to his king ever. “Sure, uh. Just walk with me on patrol? Unless you…”

Noct waves his hand. “Patrol is fine. My knee is stiff anyway.”

Prompto squares his jaw and nods. “Okay.”

They walk in silence as they climb the stairs up to the next floor, walk down the long hallways of the Citadel. Noctis salutes a few random soldiers, the cleaning crew, council members, but nobody really bothers them. On the twelfth floor, it’s eerily quiet, and Noct’s blood is pumping so hard in his ears, he can barely hear his own booted footsteps on polished marble. 

“Why is this floor marble, but the tenth floor cedar wood?” Prompto muses, just to break the silence. Just to forget. 

Noctis shrugs. “Idk. You want me to like, summon an ancestor and ask who was in charge of this place?”

Prompto giggles. “Yeah I’m sure they’d love that.”

Noctis bumps shoulders with him. This is  _ Prompto _ . Things are so  _ easy _ ...usually. Then why is this so  _ hard _ ? Prompto’s had his heart since they were sixteen. Noctis just needs to  _ tell  _ him. 

“Uh,” says Noct, slowing his steps until he’s stopped. 

Prompto realizes a step ahead, and turns. “What’s up, Noct? You said you wanted to talk? And I don’t mean about floors, heh.” He scratches his neck awkwardly and tries not to sink to one knee out of desperation. 

“Yeah, I just…” Noctis stares at him, feeling winded already. “Gimme a sec.”

“Sure, bud.” 

Noctis closes his eyes and swallows hard. “Prom, I uh. I’ve never dated.”

Prompto nods. It’s a wonder that Noctis, as gorgeous and amazing as he is, has never had a partner. “Ha! Me neither dude. Well. There was like that one fling in highschool but that lasted like three months, ha ha.” 

Noct’s tongue lays heavy in his mouth. Those were the worst three months of his life. He was so jealous, he thought he’d burst. “Yeah,” he says, not wanting to remember. He’d been happy that Prompto was happy, but… “Listen, Prom. Uh. What do you think of. Um. Of me…?”

Prompto blinks at the king. “What do I...what do I think of you?” Prompto could laugh. What does he  _ think _ of Noctis Lucis Caelum? Of all the… “You’re my best friend,” says Prompto, dumbly. “I, uh. You’re amazing? You’re smart, and strong, and really fucking geeky.” He smiles at the last bit. Noct’s only gotten older--his interests have stayed the same, even if he gets to do them less often. He’ll still sneak out of Insomnia to fish in the Lucinia Sound for a weekend at his dad’s old camp by the water. And Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto still accompany him, like always. 

Noctis smiles warmly. “Yeah?” he says. “Uh, thanks, I guess. Um. So what if I said...that being best friends is cool, but…”  _ Noctis, you’re thirty, man...you can do this.  _ “Um, being best friends is the best thing ever, like. I love being your friend, Prompto.” 

That alone is enough to make Prompto weepy again. “Yeah?” he says, sniffing. “Noct, that’s...you’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I was...pretty lonely ‘till I met you.” He smiles at the king. 

Noctis is knocked breathless by that smile, like he always is. He fiddles with the heavy Ring of the Lucii on his right hand. He wishes he had a ring on his left hand to balance it out. “Right,” he says. “Um. Me too.”  _ Just tell him, you absolute dweeb of a king.  _ Noctis closes his eyes and tries to breathe again. “WhatifIwantedtobemorethanfriends?” Noctis says through gritted teeth. 

Silence. 

Prompto’s not sure he heard him correctly. He tilts his head. “Uh, dude,” he whispers softly. “Wanna...repeat that, maybe?”

Noct’s eyes flutter open, and holy fuck, the look Prompto is giving him is  _ so  _ soft. “I, uh,” he says, licking his lips. “I’m trying to say that I uh. I like you.”

Prompto inhales. “Oh yeah?” he squeaks. 

Noctis nods, blushing. “Um, yes. Like. A lot.”

“You...you like me a lot,” Prompto repeats slowly, making sure he’s hearing all this right. He’s pretty sure that his brain has short-circuited. “So wait,” he says slowly. “I, uh. Heard you talkin’ with Igster, and I...you…”

“It was about you,” says Noctis, gulping. “I’m um. Sorta in love with you.”

Prompto’s knees actually give out and he thuds to the floor, not even wincing at the hard knock of marble. He gazes up at Noctis--his friend, his king, his  _ everything.  _ “Noct,” he croaks, tears coming in liberally now, streaming hot down his freckled face. 

“Prompto,” says Noctis, softly. 

“I wanna fuckin’ marry you so bad,” Prompto blurts, because his little gremlin brain just can’t handle it anymore. He shifts, bringing one knee up to bend, placing his foot flat on the floor. “Marry me,” Prompto sobs. “ _ Please _ , Noct. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.” 

Noctis puts his hand on his heart and bends mechanically to match Prompto on the icy marble floor. “Straight to marriage?” he teases, reaching out to stroke the hair from Prompto’s face. He feels straight lava in his veins when he sees Prompto shiver and get goosebumps along his pale, slender neck from the contact. “Not even gonna buy me dinner first?”

Prompto huffs out a laugh. “Mmmm, well. Y’know this military stipend doesn’t do much. Maybe I should ask for a raise. Tell my boss I need money for a hot date.” He’s crying, now, even though he’s smiling and joking. This is  _ Noctis _ . This is all he’ll ever need. 

“Mmmm, I’m sure he’d oblige, you tell ‘em the king said so.”

Prompto laughs, shaking his head. “Kiss me, Noct.”

The words ring in Noct’s ears like angelic chimes. Like birds singing. The proverbial heavens open up and light streams down and illuminates Prompto like he’s the sun incarnate. It’s  _ true _ . Prompto has always been the sun to Noct’s night, and Noctis says so. 

“Bro,’ says Prompto incredulously. “No, no, like. You’re  _ my _ sun. I like. Revolve around  _ you _ .” Ugh. Iggy is so much more poetic, he thinks. But it’ll have to do. How does one woo a king, anyway?

Noctis only laughs and leans forward, placing a chaste kiss against Prompto’s lips. It’s soft and sweet, even though Prompto makes breathless little whimpers against him that make Noctis think of not-so-innocent things. The king pulls away, and  _ wow _ . Prompto’s post-kissing face is damn gorgeous, flushed pretty pink, mouth hanging open, begging for more. 

Prompto opens his eyes. “I love you,” Prompto says. What else can he say? What else is  _ worthy  _ of saying? “I was, uh, serious. About the marriage thing.”

Noctis grins. “Yeah? You mean it?”

Prompto nods. “I, uh. I’ll get a ring, I promise.”

Noctis laughs. “We can pick out rings together, you nerd.”

“Okay, yeah sure. Whatever...whatever you want.” Prompto pauses. “Hey can I still be Captain of the Kingsglaive though?”

Noctis tilts his head. “Huh. A royal, being captain of his own protection force. I...well we’ll have to ask Iggy, I guess.” He shrugs. “I mean, if you really want.”

Prompto smiles. “I’m still gonna be protecting  _ you _ , dummy. You’re the royal blood here.”

“If you marry me and I say you’re royal, then you’re royal.”

“Prompto Argentum Caelum,” Prompto says with stars in his eyes. “Wow.” He blinks. “Hey wait, you never actually said yes!”

Noctis laughs. “Yes, Prompto. I’ll marry you. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted.”

Prompto beams at him. “Right back atcha, your Majesty.”

Gladio knocks on Iggy’s half-open door. “Hey Iggy,” 

Ignis looks up from his computer. “Ah, Gladiolus. Good evening.”

The shield grins as he meanders into the office. “So the kids finally did it.”

Ignis smiles in return. “It appears so, yes.”

“Took ‘em damn long enough. What’s it been, fifteen years?”

“I lost track,” says Ignis. “Now are you going to help me plan the royal wedding, or not?”


End file.
